Josephine Jordan was my great, great, grandmother. She lived the life of a common farm wife in northern Maine. She kept a line a-day diary. I have her complete diaries from 1892 to 1898. You can learn more about Josephine, her diaries, and some historical perspective by going back to the first installment of this series.
Your questions, insights, or comments about this month's diary entries are welcomed.
--Tues, March 1
Clear and cold. Hubby went to Presque Isle. Got $20.00
--Wed, March 2
Husband paid Gary $18.50 on a debt, leaving a balance.
--Thurs, March 3
Dull and gloomy. Mrs. E. Washburn buried today.
--Frid, March 4
Last evening Elder Young took Frank up to meeting.
--Sat, March 5
Snowing real fast, but we are all well, thank God.
--Sund, March 6
Did not go to church. But I can read the Bible.
--Mond, March 7
Hubby gone to the woods. Don't know when he'll be home.
--Tues, March 8
Blanche & Gertie are visiting this afternoon.
--Wed, March 9
Blanche and her father got ready to go to town.
--Thurs, March 10
Very windy. Sold some hay. All well.
--Frid, March 11
Sold more hay. Got ten dollars for it.
--Sat, March 12
Real March day. Mrs. Hutchings here.
--Sund, March 13
Am sick today. Cannot sit up. Hope I'll soon be well.
--Mond, March 14
Real cold. Hubby gone to Presque Isle.
--Tues, March 15
Blustering. Real cold & clear.
--Wed, March 16
Mrs. H. was here and paid $26 on their farm.
--Thurs, March 17
Settled with L. Gary paid him in full.
--Frid, March 18
Washed today. Am still lame. Sprained my knee.
--Sat, March 19
Tried out my lard. Made hogs head cheese & cookies.
--Sund, March 20
Storming most of the day. Did not go to church.
--Mond, March 21
Clear and cold. Husband has got cold.
--Tues, March 22
Lovely and fine. Husband gone to the woods.
--Wed, March 23
Storming real fast, but not too cold.
--Thurs, March 24
Went to Presque Isle. Got very tired.
--Frid, March 25
Blancher & I have gone to the village to do some shopping.
--Sat, March 26
Blanche and I have gone to Washburn.
--Sund, March 27
Lovely & fine. Did not go to church. Can't very well.
--Mon, March 28
Blanche and her father started to go to N. Sweden, but did not.
--Tues, March 29
Very fine. Washed today. Hope I'll soon be well.
--Wed, March 30
Gertie went down town to make some visits.
--Thurs, March 31
Very fine. Went to Presque Isle. Am still lame.
Your questions, insights, or comments about this month's diary entries are welcomed.
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--Tues, March 1
Clear and cold. Hubby went to Presque Isle. Got $20.00
--Wed, March 2
Husband paid Gary $18.50 on a debt, leaving a balance.
--Thurs, March 3
Dull and gloomy. Mrs. E. Washburn buried today.
--Frid, March 4
Last evening Elder Young took Frank up to meeting.
--Sat, March 5
Snowing real fast, but we are all well, thank God.
--Sund, March 6
Did not go to church. But I can read the Bible.
--Mond, March 7
Hubby gone to the woods. Don't know when he'll be home.
--Tues, March 8
Blanche & Gertie are visiting this afternoon.
--Wed, March 9
Blanche and her father got ready to go to town.
--Thurs, March 10
Very windy. Sold some hay. All well.
--Frid, March 11
Sold more hay. Got ten dollars for it.
--Sat, March 12
Real March day. Mrs. Hutchings here.
--Sund, March 13
Am sick today. Cannot sit up. Hope I'll soon be well.
--Mond, March 14
Real cold. Hubby gone to Presque Isle.
--Tues, March 15
Blustering. Real cold & clear.
--Wed, March 16
Mrs. H. was here and paid $26 on their farm.
--Thurs, March 17
Settled with L. Gary paid him in full.
--Frid, March 18
Washed today. Am still lame. Sprained my knee.
--Sat, March 19
Tried out my lard. Made hogs head cheese & cookies.
--Sund, March 20
Storming most of the day. Did not go to church.
--Mond, March 21
Clear and cold. Husband has got cold.
--Tues, March 22
Lovely and fine. Husband gone to the woods.
--Wed, March 23
Storming real fast, but not too cold.
--Thurs, March 24
Went to Presque Isle. Got very tired.
--Frid, March 25
Blancher & I have gone to the village to do some shopping.
--Sat, March 26
Blanche and I have gone to Washburn.
--Sund, March 27
Lovely & fine. Did not go to church. Can't very well.
--Mon, March 28
Blanche and her father started to go to N. Sweden, but did not.
--Tues, March 29
Very fine. Washed today. Hope I'll soon be well.
--Wed, March 30
Gertie went down town to make some visits.
--Thurs, March 31
Very fine. Went to Presque Isle. Am still lame.
9 comments:
i am 62.My grandmother was probably born around 1868(my dad was close to 50 when i was born)and the stories my grandmother told me when i was little,sounded a lot like some the entries of your great great gradmother.I treasure these stories of "the old days".
"Sat, March 19
Tried out my lard. Made hogs head cheese & cookies."
My father and an older cousin made hogs head cheese when I was a kid (I am 42 now, so it was in the 70's). That was the nastiest stuff I ever saw or smelled!
sad to read all the entries where she or another family member was "under the weather" --- so often?
We take so for granted our vehicles that we have now. Imagine trying to load up horse and carriage for a very snowy winter for which the roads were not ploughed to go to church. Hmm. What is our excuse today? We have medicine we can purchase at every store for our ailments and much more medical knowledge of the likely hood of our "disease." Yet my dear Josephine just trusted God and knew the Healer and who "brought the snow."
--Wed, March 16
Mrs. H. was here and paid $26 on their farm.
Makes me wonder if they owned a large parcel and sold off parts to other farmers???? Just a thought.
Krystal (nova scotia)
Thankyou for sharing.
Hello, first time commenting but have been reading for a while. I thought this was interesting, y'all may also. I found an inflation calculator, it shows what the value of money then would be to us. so when she says she got twenty dollars for labor or whatnot its like us going out and working and getting $526.32 for labor. thats the value now for 20 dollars then. http://www.davemanuel.com/inflation-calculator.php
The calculator comment was mine, figured i would sign from now on to be social.
Clint
Backyard Homesteader
Pennsylvania
Please post more! So interesting. I wish we could see her face to know who she was. I feel so invested in her life now :)
Storming real fast, but not too cold.
compare Gatwick parking
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